Florida Boat accident

[RWilson2526]

PALM VALLEY, Fla. ***8212; Five people were killed and seven seriously injured when a 22-foot pleasure boat crashed into the rear of a docked tug boat near St. Augustine Sunday evening, authorities said.
The crash happened at about 7 p.m. on the Intracoastal Waterway in St. Johns County near the Palm Valley Bridge, about 20 miles northwest of St. Augustine, said Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokeswoman Joy Hill.
Three of the injured were airlifted from the crash site and all seven were taken to area hospitals, she said.
The Intracoastal Waterway runs along Florida's east coastline. Hill was not sure whether those on the Crownline boat were tossed into the water during the crash.
She said it doesn't appear anyone was aboard the 25-foot tug boat, which is registered to F&A Enterprises in St. Augustine.
The victims names have not been released.
The boat was carrying 12 people, according to Jeremy Robshaw of the St. Johns County Fire and Rescue. He told The Florida Times-Union newspaper that three of those injured were in critical condition, with the others in stable condition.
Robshaw said the pier was under construction and rescuers had to lay down planking before they could get to the crash victims.
Herb Davis watched the rescue from the dock at his home down the street.
"There was a lot of moaning," he told the newspaper. "It was very clear, this lady was screaming so loud," he said.


12 FRIGGIN PEOPLE????? GOOD GOD

Correction....just found this:

Oshier said the 14 were riding in a boat with a capacity of 12 occupants. He said the group had previously always had a designated driver and insured that there were enough life jackets aboard to meet the boat***8217;s capacity

Can a 22 footer really have a 12 person capacity? maybe 12 seats but 12 on the capacity plate?

[reelapeelin]

We are a nation of free people...THANKFULLY...but the downside to that is, we have the freedom to make terrible mistakes as w/this trajedy...I'm not sure we want the kind of government control (or any other control) that would ABSOLUTELY prevent occurances such as this...sad, but that's the way I see it anyway...

[cterrebonne]

they could have been legal the whole way becuse its an and/or with the rating plate. 12 people or 1400lbs of people. they might have had some small people aboard.

[cterrebonne]

cobalt 222 has 12 on the plate.

[phatdaddy]

a lot of the capacity is dependent on construction materials. i have a friend who has a 24 carolina skiff that is rated for 18 persons, i have a 13 whaler rated for 6 and the v-20 is rated for 7. after the nfl players were lost a month ago, i saw a guy post on another site that his 31 capehorn was rated for 8. lotta variables, but no substitution for common sense

[RABBITFISH]

I always thought that it would be necessary to look where you were going? Is that not necessary anymore?